Eighteen months ago, Aaron Wan-Bissaka’s career was “drifting” and he was on the verge of being shipped out on loan and maybe failing to win a new contract at Crystal Palace.
But a last-ditch attempt to save his career saw him switched from playing in a wide position to right-back —and he is now on the brink of sealing a £50million move to Manchester United.
The transfer sees him become United’s fifth most expensive signing ever – and the second costliest English player in history. He will also go from earning £10,000 a week at Selhurst Park to an £80,000 salary.
“Eighteen months ago, Aaron was drifting,” said former Crystal Palace winger John Salako. “I worked with him. He was a wide player. He was very quiet. He was probably on the verge of going out on loan and maybe being pushed out and not getting another contract.
“He was asked to go to right-back as, probably, a last option – and he has absolutely flown. He has shown an absolutely wonderful temperament. The lad has just come in and blown us away. He has great ability, his athleticism is incredible and his one-on-one defending is sensational.”
Wan-Bissaka has made just 45 appearances for Palace, and adding to the weight of expectation with such a high price-tag will be some words of warning from Salako — telling him to expect a whole new, intimidating, world up at Old Trafford.
“When you go to United you’re under scrutiny, you’re in front of 75,000 people week in, week out,” said the former England international. “They want him to go forward and create, like a Trent Alexander-Arnold at Liverpool, or the lads at Man City.
“He’s a quiet lad and doesn’t say much, and that’s another thing that concerns me about going to Old Trafford. He’s going to be in a dressing room with fierce characters, big characters who want to win, the crowd and dealing with the Press. But he seems a very private, quiet, insular lad.”
